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Browns' Thomas: Ex-teammate Hillis 'wasn't real popular around here'

Tell us how you really feel, Joe Thomas. The Cleveland Browns left tackle unloaded on former teammate Peyton Hillis, who signed as a free agent in the offseason with the Kansas City Chiefs. The 2-10 Chiefs

Browns' Thomas: Ex-teammate Hillis 'wasn't real popular around here'

The Cleveland Browns left tackle unloaded on former teammate Peyton Hillis, who signed as a free agent in the offseason with the Kansas City Chiefs. The 2-10 Chiefs travel to Cleveland (4-8) on Sunday, which gave Thomas a reason to reflect on his two years blocking for the former Madden cover athlete.

"I think it was better for both sides (he left)," said Thomas. "At that point the situation with him here was toxic, and he didn't want to be here and players didn't want him here. It was better for a fresh start at that point."

Thomas claims that Hillis, who ran for 1177 yards and 11 touchdowns with the Browns in 2010, dogged his efforts last season while trying to get a new deal, saying that the running back decided his contract was more important than playing and trying to help the team win.

After failing to get the team to renegotiate his deal coming off the 2010 season, Hillis missed a game last season with strep throat and another six with a hamstring injury.

"He wasn't real popular around here the way he went about his business," said Thomas. "Not that they didn't like him as a person, but just the way he hurt the team from not coming to play."

"I don't know if strep throat and whatever other injuries he had should keep you out of an NFL game or several. All I know is Alex Mack's appendix blew up and he played. A lot of guys tried to help him and give him guidance and he wasn't listening."

For a game that has no relevance on the standings other than draft order, this matchup has certainly found some compelling storylines. It's hard to imagine anyone in the Chiefs locker room bothering to care about Thomas' comments in the wake of all they've had to go through this week following the Jovan Belcher tragedy.

While Thomas may be more free to express himself now that Hillis is gone, the bitterness inside the Browns locker room towards him was evident last season, according to this November 2011 piece by Yahoo! Sports' Mike Silver.

Peyton Hillis, the team's injured and beleaguered halfback, had won the game of "Hot 20," a lottery-like parlaying of players' per-diem allocations."Congratulations, Peyton," a Browns veteran yelled from the back of the plane as Hillis strode forward to collect his winnings. "You finally got paid!"

Hillis' deal with the Chiefs, a one-year contract worth $1.4 million in salary and the same amount in bonuses, wasn't exactly the large windfall he was looking for and his meager production this season may make it hard for him to even match that this offseason. The Browns seem to be doing just fine with Hillis' replacement. Rookie first-round pick Trent Richardson is on pace to rush for over 1100 yards and nine touchdowns.